Canadian Statistics for Suicide

According to Statistics Canada

In 2009, there were 3,890 suicides in Canada, a rate of 11.5 per 100,000 people.

The suicide rate for males was three times higher than the rate for females (17.9 versus 5.3 per 100,000).

Although suicide deaths affect almost all age groups, those aged 40 to 59 had the highest rates.

Married people had a lower suicide rate than those who were single, divorced or widowed.

Although males are more likely to die from suicide, females are three to four times more likely to attempt it. Furthermore, females are hospitalized for attempted suicide 1.5 times more frequently than males.

When suicide deaths are examined across age groups, persons aged 40 to 59 have the highest rates. Forty-five percent of all suicides in 2009 (1,769 out of a total of 3,890) were in this age group, compared with 35% for those aged 15 to 39, and 19% for those over the age of 60. This has been a persistent trend in Canada, yet contrasts with suicide trends in many other countries where the rate of suicide tends to increase with age (Suicide Rates: An Overview — Statistics Canada).